Judge blasts rogue cops who stole, resold drugs

Three rogue Chicago police officers who robbed drug dealers of cash and narcotics were sentenced to prison terms Thursday by a federal judge who said the misconduct left him "at a total loss."

U.S. District Judge Ronald Guzman appeared most disturbed that the officers resold the stolen drugs, putting "lethal poison" back onto streets that they had sworn to serve and protect.

"You and your merry band essentially raped and plundered entire areas," said the judge, noting the robberies by the plainclothes tactical officers in the Englewood District took place in some of the city's poorest neighborhoods.

The ring damaged the reputations of good cops and sullied the entire legal system in neighborhoods where trust of the police already may have been at its thinnest, the judge said.

"People see and hear what goes on in these courtrooms, and the next time they look at a police officer, they see you," Guzman said.

The judge sentenced Broderick Jones, 36, the alleged ringleader, to 25 years in prison; Darek Haynes, 37, to 19 years; and Eural Black, 44, the only officer to take his case to trial, to 40 years, the statutory minimum he could receive.

Five officers in all were indicted in 2005 for robbing dealers while on-duty after being tipped to drug deals about to go down. The officers wore their stars and body armor and often tried to make the "rip-offs" appear to be legitimate traffic stops.

One drug dealer, Brent Terry, 36, also was sentenced Thursday to more than 20 years for helping target drug dealers for Jones.

Jones, Haynes and Black all appealed to the judge Thursday for leniency.

"My mother raised me to be a hard worker, honest," said Jones, a tall, beefy man in an orange prison jumpsuit. "I learned responsibility at an early age."

"Basically, I'm in a situation because of greed," he said. "I'm not a bad guy."